In 1848, Septimus Roe, a government surveyor, was searching for pastoral land and discovered the area around Norseman which he named Dundas Hills, after the colonial secretary. Gold was discovered there in 1893, the Dundas Field was proclaimed and the town of Dundas established. 

The town of Norseman got its name in the 1890s when Coolgardie prospector Laurie Sinclair was visiting his brother George who was prospecting in the area. Sinclair had tethered his horse to a tree one night and the next morning he had noticed that the horse been digging its hooves and happened to uncover a piece of gold. The area was named after his clever horse, "The Hardy Norseman". The gold reef established at that site was registered on the 14th August 1894, and as news spread of the find the town grew, Norseman was officially registered in 1895. 

Isolation and water shortages were an impediment to growth and although there is a chain of salt lakes in the Dundas region they only hold water after heavy rains. In 1936, the water problem was finally alleviated by the extension of CY O'Connor's Goldfields pipeline to Norseman.

The current population of Norseman is around 1,100, and gold is still being mined there. The Central Norseman Gold Corporation has the distinction of being Australia's longest continuously run gold operation.

Norseman is at the junction of Highways 1 and 94 and is the last (or the first) town for travellers on the Eyre Highway. Norseman's unique position has seen the growth of the town's tourist industry. Many people visit the area to admire the natural beauty of sites such as Mt Jimberlana, Peak Charles, Buldania Rocks and Dundas Rocks.

• Click here for Norseman Street Map.
• Click here for Distance Chart.

Norseman Photo Gallery